“We are grateful to recognize with the community a sense of completion to the hardships and destruction that we all endured this winter, and to celebrate the spirit of assistance and community support that we jointly experienced,” said Bates President Donald W. Harward.

To replace area trees lost to ice-storm damage, Bates is giving away a limited number of five-foot to 10-foot trees to Lewiston-Auburn residents. The free Bates trees are available on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of one per household and must be reserved by calling the Bates Office of Special Projects at 207-786-6077 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.